CVE-2026-6265Public exploit

Local privilege escalation via writable update directory

Published Apr 27, 2026 · Updated Apr 27, 2026

Privilege escalation in Cerberus FTP Server 2025.4.2 and earlier allows local users to execute code as an administrator during updates. The updater overwrites a predictably named installer in a ProgramData directory whose inherited ACL lets BUILTIN\Users create and retain control of files. Exploitation requires low-privileged local access, an administrator to trigger the updater, and a successful file swap before elevated execution.

CVSS severity7.3
High
EPSS probability0.26%
Next 30 days · Sep 16, 2026
Known exploitationUnconfirmed
Based on sourced intelligence
Hinoki checkNot available
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Summary

What happened

Privilege escalation in Cerberus FTP Server 2025.4.2 and earlier allows local users to execute code as an administrator during updates. The updater overwrites a predictably named installer in a ProgramData directory whose inherited ACL lets BUILTIN\Users create and retain control of files. Exploitation requires low-privileged local access, an administrator to trigger the updater, and a successful file swap before elevated execution.

The record

CVE
CVE-2026-6265
Published
Apr 27, 2026
Updated
Apr 27, 2026
Vendor
Cerberus
Product
Cerberus FTP Server
Classifications
CWE-278, CAPEC-233, T1068
Attack vector
local
Privileges
authenticated

Timeline

How it unfolded

  1. Apr 27, 2026CVE publishedPublication date reported by the CVE source.
  2. Apr 27, 2026Record updatedLatest update available in the CVE record.

Exploitability

Present is not the same as exploitable

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Is a vulnerable build present?

Compare these published version ranges with your installed build and any vendor patches.

  1. Affected versionversion=0 <=2025.4.2

What conditions does exploitation require?

Attack vectorlocal
Required privilegesauthenticated

What is affected?

Cerberus · Cerberus FTP Serverversion=0 <=2025.4.2

Published CVSS scores

8.8NIST NVDCVSS:3.1/AV:N/AC:L/PR:L/UI:N/S:U/C:H/I:H/A:H
7.3National Cyber Security Centre FinlandCVSS:4.0/AV:L/AC:L/AT:P/PR:L/UI:P/VC:H/VI:H/VA:H/SC:H/SI:H/SA:H

CVSS describes severity. EPSS estimates exploitation probability.

Attacks

What attackers are doing with it

Daily unique IPs observed by Shadowserver honeypots for known exploited vulnerabilities (KEVs). Missing observations do not establish an absence of attacks.

Daily unique IPsNo honeypot observations are available for this CVE in the selected window.

No observations available

Sep 10, 2026Sep 16, 2026
Latest reporting daySep 16, 2026
Latest daily unique IPsUnavailable
Prior 30-day averageUnavailable
SourceShadowserver honeypots (KEV)
Vectorlocal
Privilegesauthenticated
Known exploitationUnconfirmed
Public exploitPublished

Weakness, pattern, technique

CWE-278Insecure Preserved Inherited Permissions
CAPEC-233Privilege Escalation
T1068Exploitation for Privilege Escalation

Public exploit references

Labels summarize the accepted research assessment. They do not indicate a test against your environment.

Technologies

Your stack

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Your stack

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